Adjustable strin g-c lam p or capo tasto for guitars



No. 620,560. Patented Mar, 7, I899.

c. m. AVERITT.

ADJUSTABLE STRING CLAMP 0R CAPO TASTO FOR GUITARS.

(Application filed Oct. 29, 1898.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES lNVENTCfi me NORRIS PEYERiboTPuqTouYHQ, WASHINGYON, u, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CYRUS M. AVERITT, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

ADJUSTABLE STRING-CLAMP OR CAPO TASTO FOR GUITARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,560, dated March 7, 1899. Application filed October 29, 1898. Serial No. 694,862. (No model J To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUs M. AVERITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable String- Clamps or Capo Tastos for Guitars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a string-clamp for guitars,known technically as a capo tasto, whereby the pitch of the instrument may be changed to throw the music being played in a different key.

The object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which may be adjusted upon the neck of the instrument by practically a single movement of the players left hand, is of neat and attractive appearance, and is of simple, strong, durable, and inexpensive construction. Alldevices of this character with which I am familiar are of such construction that it is necessary to practically remove them from the instruments when it is desired to change the pitch by adj usting the devices. My invention obviates this objectionable feature, as the device may be adjusted without interfering with the playing of the instrument for a moment and may even be moved to a position on the head where it may remain without interfering with the handling orplaying of the instrument in the slightest degree.

With the object above mentioned in view the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in Which' Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a string-clamp or capo tasto and of a part of the neck of a guitar in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section taken through the neck of the instrument With the clamp mounted operatively thereon.

In said drawings, 1 designates a cross-bar provided with holes or apertures 2 at its ends and with an upwardly-projecting arm 3, having a U-shaped notch or recess 4 in its upper side, and 5 designates a felt or equivalent pad secured upon said arm and adapted for contact with the under side of the neck of the instrument in order that the latter shall not be scratched or otherwise disfigured by the adjustment of the bar thereon. The configuration of the recess 4 and the pad, however, will correspond to the cross-sectional configuration of the instrum cut-neck to which it is adapted for use-that is to say, if the instrument is of segmental form in cross-section the recess 4 and pad 5 will be of corresponding form.

6 designates the bridge-bar of the clamp. This bar is above the strings of the instrument and at its ends is provided with depending guide-arms 7 in order to maintain said bar in its relative position as it is adjusted upon the neck of the instrument. The bar is also provided at its ends with the upwardlyprojecting arms 8, one of which is provided with a hole or aperture 9 and the other with an approximately V-shaped slot 10, and secured to the under side of the bar and adapted for engagement with the strings of the instrument is a cork pad 11, or said pad may be of any other suitable material.

A pair of spring-wires are bent to form the hinge-coils 12 and the loops or approximately U-shaped arms 13, the arms of said springs diverging with respect to each other.

The ends of the loops or U-shaped arms of one spring pivotally engage holes 2 and 9 of the adjacent ends of bars 1 and 6, respectively, while the corresponding parts of the arms of the other spring are pivotally engaged With the hole in the adjacent end of bar 1 and with the V-shaped slot 10 of bar 6. The tendency of said spring-arms is to move together. Consequently the instrument is clamped firmly between the pads 5 and 11, the latter holding the strings firmly down upon the fret. This collapsing tendency of said spring-arms of course holds the ends of the upper loop or U-shaped arm 13 at the left-hand side of the instrument-neck down upon the bottom or apex of the V-shaped slot 10, and thereby prevents its accidental disen gagement from said slot.

14 designates a pair of thumb and finger plates which are provided with arms 15, bent inward and around the hinge-coils 12, these thumb or finger plates being adapted to be grasped by the operators left hand from be low the neck of the instrument and pressed toward each other preliminary to adjusting the clamp upon the neck of the instrument. The pressure thus applied upon said plates expands the spring-arms 13 and raises the cross-bar 6 suiliciently high to disengage the pad 11 from the strings. All that is then necessary, while still maintaining the pressure upon plates 14, is to slide the hand to the required position and release the clamp, which automatically reengages the strings and clamps them down upon the adjacent fret, as will be readily understood. Under the compression of said springs preliminary to adjusting the device upon the neck of the instrument the cross-bar of the upper loop or arm 13 on the left-hand side slides up to the upper or closed end of the slot 10. Consequently there is no possible chance of accidental disengagement of said arm from said slot. lVhen it is desired to disengage it from the slot, it may be accomplished by pressing outward upon said arm, as will be readily understood.

3y means of devices of this type, as hereinbefore stated, music in a difficult key may be thrown into a different key, and the great advantage of the present invention over others of the same class resides in the facility with which it is adjusted or removed and in its generally improved construction and ornamental appearance.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a device of the character described which embodies the features of advantage enumerated in the statement of invention, and it is to be understood, of course, that changes in the detail construction, arrangement, or proportion of the parts will not be considered a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A string-clamp for musical instruments comprising a crossbar to engage the under side of the instrument-neck, a bridge-bar for engagement with the strings of the instrument, springs holding said bridge-bar down upon the strings of the instrument with a yielding pressure, hand-plates mounted upon said springs, whereby the latter may be operated and said bridge bar raised from the strings of the instrument, substantially as described.

2. A string-clamp for musical instruments, comprising a cross-bar for engagement with the under side of the instrument, a bridgebar for engagement with the strings of the instrument and provided with dependingguidearms at opposite sides of the neck of the instrument, and springs holding said bars clamped firmly against the instrument and the strings clamped firmly down upon the ad* jacent fret, substantially as described.

3. A string-clamp for musical instruments, comprising a cross-bar for engagement with the under side of the instrument, a bridgebar engaging the strings of the instrument and provided at one end with a V-shaped slot, a pair of springs provided with diverging arms pivotallyen gaging the ends of said crossbar and bridge-bar; the upper arm of the lefthand spring engaging said V-shaped slot, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CYRUS M. AVERITT.

itxicsses:

M. R. RnnLnY, F. S. THRASHER. 

